Superstar Sleeze

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Terry Funk vs Jumbo Tsuruta 6/11/76 Two out of Three Falls There may be nothing more frustrating about footage gaps than the lack of Terry Funk in the 70s. Yes, towards the end of the 70s, we get plenty of tags with brother Dory, but if this match is any indication we are missing out on some absolutely fantastic wrestling. For instance, I believe this is the only full NWA World Heavyweight Championship defense we have from his year long reign as champion. I enjoyed him moreso than Jack Brisco or Harley Race in this one outing. The first fall features probably the greatest surfboard struggle spot in history. It really felt like they were shooting over who win control over that surfboard. It was just so compelling to watch to see who would come out on top. I loved the beginning amateur work and Funk's arm work was superb. Unlike some other 70s wrestlers, he is not afraid lay it in there and we get hear the smack of flesh on flesh., Even with Funk on top, Jumbo looks good being able to pick Funk out of double wristlock and then setting him down on the top rope or the top wristlock into a bridge. Holy shit, Terry Funk was so smooth setting up that top wristlock! The match was a perfect representation of babyface control with the heel creating movement only for the babyface to thwart him by restoring order back into the original hold. The best part of this sequence was Jumbo not letting go of wristlock when Funk lunged for the outside and then Jumbo yanking him back in over the top rope. Funk creates more movement, but Jumbo takes advantage with a barrage of pinning combinations scoring the fall with a sunset flip. If Jumbo worked the armbar harder, this would have been a pitch perfect fall. Jumbo 1-0. Fucking awesome second fall!!! This match is living up to the hype. Funk gets a quick handshake and starts throwing wild rights to upset Jumbo, which works. Terry wrangles a neckbreaker and never looks back. He drops all his weight onto Jumbo's neck, while Jumbo is in the sitting position. Damn, that spot needs to be cribbed. I thought the piledriver was going to knot this up in short order, but ain't to be. Funk hurls Jumbo to outside and dropkick and posts him. He looks to be in total control then Jumbo wakes up with a wicked European Uppercut. He throws Funk into the buckles who bumps big and then bumps even bigger over the top rope for a Jumbo right hand. Jumbo is much better working from underneath and facing adversity. It gets him going. Great struggle over the ab stretch (one of my favorite 70s/80s spots) into a Funking Rolling Cradle!!! Funk ties it up at one apiece! In six minutes, Terry Funk showed why he is awesome on offense, bumping, selling and psychology. Loved the rolling cradle finish. Tied 1-1. You can tell Jumbo is pissed at himself. At this point in his career, he has that confidence where he believes that not only can he hang with the Funks, Brisco and Race that he can beat these guys. He is frustrated with himself for not being able to put Funk away and letting his lead slip away. He starts throwing wild rights and things are getting chippy. Jumbo just goes full fucking bore: wicked ab stretch and suplexes galore. The struggle over the gutwrench suplex was excellent. Jumbo is fucking crazy strong; he deserves more adulation in that regard. He has been dead lifting dudes all over the place. Funk looks absolutely done. Jumbo is feeling it and you really feel like he believes he is going to win. I don't want to say this begins the long standing feud of Jumbo vs. The Hotshot, but this is the first time I have seen it, but it must have been one of the first instances of him going in for the kill, but succumbing to the hotshot. Funk is able to retain his title. Absolute classic. Funk demonstrated how smooth he could be on the mat, vicious during a heat segment and sold huge in the third fall. Jumbo is definitely better coming from underneath in these 70s matches. When he works those face control segments early he has a tendency not to work the hold and be a bit cold and that keeps this from being a perfect match. Definitely the best 70s match I have watched so far, the whole way through you just believed these two were totally invested in winning the world championship. ****3/4

PWF Heavyweight Champion Giant Baba vs NWA Missouri Champion Harley Race - AJPW 12/9/75 Harley Race is still in Handsome Harley Race mode with his bleached blond hair. During one of the long headlocks early, I was thinking about Race's tattoos and how unique they are, but do they depict exactly? They just look dark blobs on his arms. The first half of this match is dullsville. Baba works the headlock well and anytime Race gets up it is usually chop, throw, and headlock. Race is able at one to get a kneelift to set up a chinlock, but it is not sustainable. They establish Baba's dominance especially in terms of stand up over Race. The match gets good once Harley takes over. It develops into actually the most heated 70s puro match yet, which offers an interesting departure from the consistently great Brisco matches and the escalation towards a hot finish. Harley is able to turn Baba over on his side in a headlock and bury the knee thus negating the stand up advantage. Harley gets a pair of kneedrops to head, his headbutt and a piledriver to set up a wicked headscissors. They both worked really hard in this hold and the struggle of Baba to get out between Harley's thighs was compelling as it was a bit funny. When he came up gasping for breath and discombobulated, it was amusing. Baba sold disoriented well and they end up doing the best head collide spot yet. Harley picks up and slams the Giant, but Baba comes back with the big boot and then stands on Harley and jumps on him. Throughout the match, they used rope escapes well to protect finishes. Harley throws a beautiful suplex. Harley was definitely a trend setter. He follows Baba to the outside, which was a bad decision as Baba throws him into the post and he is left bloody. Baba tries to finish off with a pair of dropkicks, but Harley hooks the ropes on the second one and he is bleeding a gusher. Again, Baba is using the chop to set up his offense like t]he Russian Legsweep which won a fall over Brisco and then the backbreaker. He is pouring it on, but Harley comes back with punch to throat, second piledriver, a pair of headbutt and now seeing this is his best chance goes for the top rope headbutt, but crashes and burns! I totally bite on this being Baba's opportunity to win the match. He starts throwing awesome overhand chops to the cut. Baba is frustrated and Harley is hanging on for dear life. Baba nails a big boot, but it is too late as time has run out. This match definitely had the hottest finish of the 70s puro matches I have watched so far, but the first half of the match was pretty dull. I thought they did an excellent job with the headscissors, which sadly would be an anachronism in today's landscape. Harley was definitely a forward thinking wrestler taking the press slam off the top, blading and throwing suplexes and slams at will. His piledriver is not Backlund piledriver. Baba is great as hero and giant of All Japan. He uses his size well and throws a mean chop. The last half is really high quality stuff so check it out for that. ****

Terry Funk vs Crusher Blackwell - AJPW 9/82 OH HELL FUCKING YEAH! Big ups to Matt D for finding this and Parv for disseminating the info. Awesome match between two of the all-time greats. A perfect exhibition of what makes Blackwell awesome within the first half he shows he has a size advantage, deceptively agile (dropkick, techincally proficient (drop toehold), punches like a champ and is ruthless. With those five tools, he is formidable opponent for anyone, but All Japan's hero, Terry Funk was not backing down. Funk was massively over. When he balled his fists up to get to work, he crowd went wild. The match really kicked when they busted each other open with short nasty headbutts. Funk is fucking crazy and Blackwell took glee in all of it. Absolutely killer boxing match breaks out afterwards. SInce, I don't know how well circulated this match is, I won't spoil the ending. I will leave it like this can Blackwell finish the injured and bloody Funk off or will Funk find a way to take the big man off his feet to apply the Spinning Toe Hold or get the pinning combination? ***1/2

Jumbo Tsuruta vs Jack Brisco - AJPW 8/28/76 NWA United National Heavyweight Tournament Final This was actually the match that revived the United National Heavyweight Championship after JWA closed and became an All Japan belt, first Jumbo's belt, then Tenryu's belt and ultimately as a part of the Triple Crown. Brisco was no longer the World's Heavyweight Champion relinquishing that position to Mr. Terry Funk. This is a two out of three fall match. The first fall features Jumbo at his offensive best. He is laser focused on Brisco's back and ain't never going to let up. Brisco actually had an early advantage countering into a crossface/deathlock and applying a bearhug, but after Jumbo hiptossed out it was all Jumbo. Tsuruta scored two backbreakers (one out of a headlock, a nice counter) and was working holds like the Camel Clutch and Boston Crab. Brisco for his part sold being overwhelmed very well, but still having his wits about him to avoid the butterfly suplex and try to punch his way out of trouble. His best hope was a sunset flip that everyone in 1976 and I bit on. Alas, it was not to be as it was little too late as Jumbo rattled a string of dropkicks and a very impressive overhead belly to belly suplex to go up 1-nil. If the first fall was all about Jumbo on Jack's back, this fall was Jack targetting the leg of Jumbo to yield a submission. The fall began with Brisco trying to buy time by sticking his body through the ropes, but Tsuruta was relentless and Bisco ends up tried up in the ropes hanging upside down by his waist. It is a crazy spot and needs to be cribbed. Once Brisco gets free, he uses the ref admonishments to pick the ankle and go to work on his legs. He wraps it around the post. Jumbo tries to mount a comeback but he succumbs to the kneecrusher/figure-4 combo. The final fall begins as the second fall ended with Brisco destroying the leg of Jumbo. Both men are obviously fatigued, but Brisco is compensating by being extra nasty. Jumbo is fighting valiantly but it looks like he is in too much of a hole as Brisco is always able to go back to the knee to keep Jumbo at bay. Brisco is very close to applying the figure-4 in one of the more dramatic moments in wrestling right before he sits back Jumbo punches out of it. Both men knock heads and the playing field is levelled. Brisco up first misses a kneedrop and this Jumbo's chance. Can't wrangle the Boston Crab because Brisco hooked the ropes, but he lifts him for the butterfly suplex, but Brisco lands feet first and by not taking all the impact on his back he is able to kick out. Brisco hits a back suplex late in the game to set up this devastating figure-4, but Jumbo reverses into an inside cradle for the biggest win of his career up to that point. It does not get much bigger than beating the former NWA World Champion for a new championship. Unfortunately for the Japanese they were forced to leave their world championship matches empty-handed because of the nature of the beast. So for Jumbo this early in his career to defeat Jack Brisco in singles clean to win the United National Championship, I think only the bigger victory would have been over Terry Funk for the World's Championship. Excellent match and we really get to see a fully dynamic Jumbo performance. Tsuruta is one of the all-time great offensive wrestlers as displayed in the first fall, but in the second fall we see his mettle as he fights back from adversity to take the match. He sold great in the second fall and you really believed damn, it is just not the kid's night. Jack is just too ruthless and too experienced. The kid is on the cusp, but he is just not there. He keeps plugging away and he is hanging in there and just when you think he is finish he snags the inside cradle for the win. An awesome, dramatic match! ****1/2

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Jack Brisco vs Jumbo Tsuruta - AJPW 1/30/74 2 out of 3 Falls Check out those sideburns on Jumbo! This is baby Jumbo Tsuruta who just debuted earlier in 1973 and was only recently dubbed "Jumbo". He does not look out of place one bit against the NWA Champ Jack Brisco. I just love these sports-feel world championship bout: great tie-ups, leg dives and struggle for every move. Basic, fundamentals-oriented layout let the rookie shine with strong holds and coming back to that hold, lose control due to an underhanded tactic, a nice hot run up to the close of the first fall before Brisco puts him away. Jumbo's home base was an armbar. Every time, there was movement Jumbo was able to wrangle it back on using some great armdrags. I loved the Brisco hiptoss into a Jumbo armdrag! Brisco was great at shining Jumbo up with verbal selling and the desperation to not get hit by the butterfly suplex. I am a big mark for tests of strength and there was some great top wristlocks coming out of the armbars. Eventually, Brisco uses the hair to bring him down into a vicious headlock. Jumbo is able to comeback into a crossface chickenwing, which Brisco uses a great drop toehold to transition into a deathlock with great strikes into the ribs. Jumbo was eventually able to catch Jack riding high into a facelock, but Brisco was in the ropes. Tsuruta sees his opening and just unloads bodyslams (not his badass body slams, but still very good), but he misses one elbow drop. Brisco gets a Robinson backbreaker to win the first fall. Brisco 1-0 Awesome, awesome second fall. Wow! Just a great barrage of Jumbo Tsuruta offense throughout the fall. Brisco works a tight headlock, but Jumbo grabs a kneecrusher and never looks back. He works a great fucking bridging toehold and Brisco sends him flying. He is hobbling and tries to meet him on apron, but Jumbo gets sunset flip into a drop toehold into a great deathlock. Brisco escapes to the floor and JUMBO IS FIRING UP! He wants Brisco in the ring, BABY! Jumbo applies the Boston Crab and is working the back. Then he just throws Brisco around with a butterly and just an incredibly overhead belly to belly that was just an incredible feat of strength. I loved that suffocating run of offense to finish the fall. Tied 1-1. Third fall was killer. Jumbo stays on the back and is jazzed. Brisco is selling it like he is absolutely done. Jumbo applies a abdominal stretch. You actually buy it as a finish given it is 1974 and Jumbo is so excited. This converted into a hold on the ground into an amazing, amazing Jumbo bridge into a bodyscissors working that back! Bearhug! I have never popped for a bearhug until today. Jumbo is fucking awesome. Brisco looks dead. Brisco is desperate and is just like fuck it. He throws a wicked closed fist. I have been disapointed by Brisco working punch, which misses by a mile, but damn that was good. Brisco throws a nasty knee to head in the corner. He hurls Jumbo in a butterful suplex, damn! Robinson backbreaker KICK OUT! JUMBO BACK DROP DRIVER!!! Head collision. Jumbo dropkick he gets up to Brisco's but kinda wiffs and then he actually misses because Brisco averts it. A reversal of O'Connor Roll with Brisco ends up on top to win. Wow! That is how you make a rookie a star in one match. Just amazing work. Jumbo ripped it up this match. He was excited and just kicking ass. He never looked out of place. Brisco was totally selfless in this match. It was a bit too lopsided to be a contender for greatest match of all time, but it was an awesome display of both talents. I have it ahead of both the Baba matches because it had more energy. ****1/2

Having went back and looked at a bunch of Model matches today in order to determine an answer to this question, I came to the conclusion that Rick's performance was lacking in the most peculiar of heel mannerisms, namely looking 'like a bitch' or stooging. During his tenure as The Model, Martel did indeed demonstrate arrogance (both the quality and the bottle of perfume) and a certain willingness to thumb a guy in the throat which tended to be his go-to in terms of being a heel. However, what he never seemed to give the crowd was the sense of comeuppance that comes with acting the fool. The point in the match where the arrogant heel is hoisted by his own petard such as when Arn Anderson points to his brain only to turn around and get punched in the face or Vader misses a sit down splash off a sunset flip counter (I use that example to illustrate that even monster heels have these moments). Rick's performances lacked that moment in virtually every one of the matches I saw. Sure he would lose or miss a cross body out of a corner, but you never got him reacting to the miss or the loss. He was missing that part of the theater performance when Wile E. Coyote would look at the camera a moment before gravity made him pay the price for chasing the Road Runner. This is a really good point and something I never thought about. It is totally spot on!

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Bob Orton – Philly 6/82 Lumberjack Match Backlund has the exact same strap from the last match. After the ass kicking he got the last time, there would be no way I would want to be in the ring with angry Bob Backlund. Backlund is whipping, choking and even throwing Orton using the strap and Orton is stooging and bumping like a change. Orton is discombobulated trying to escape but it is a lumberjack match BABY! He rakes Backlund’s eyes with the buckle. ORTON OFFENSE! Backlund dropkick and PILEDRIVER~! Well that was short-lived. Orton does manage to string some offense together in form of a reverse atomic drop and his awesome working punch. Backbreaker, but only gets two and he jaws with a lumberjack, which in retrospect was probably Ivan Putski given the finish of the match. Back to bumping, Orton does the Slaughter bump, which leads to the press slam off the top. The best part of the match was how Orton sold Backlund’s straight right to his nose. Just tremendous! Orton is looking superplex and instead we get a super Thesz Press from Backlund! Orton is tripped by Putski for the anti-climatic Backlund victory and this leads to an Orton/Putski brawl post-match. I realize I have never seen Putski before and the dude is a shorty. Again, this is a good match, but that is disappointing given how good these two are. Another bad finish really mars the match overall. Same level as their previous match just good, not a bad way to spend 15 minutes. ***

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Bob Orton – Philly 5/22/82 Tremendous Backlund shine! Seriously, one of my all-time favorite Backlund offensive sequences and just shows how crazy athletic Backlund was. I believe the feud is predicated on Backlund ducking Orton in amateur matches so early on we get some great amateur sequences, which I was always lap up. From there, Backlund just goes into one awesome highspot after another first a great monkey flip/bodyscissors sequence out of a test of strength. In a different body scissors, there is just a crazy series of bridges. These are the more nuanced strength/athletic spots that I mark out for more than a modified slam/suplex that is en vogue in the 21st century. When Orton breaks out of the bodyscissors, he is on his feet trying to attack Backlund, who is on his back, but Backlund is an early practioners of BJJ and is able to ward him off and flummox Orton. I will say the disappointing thing about this match is that a true, blue heat segments does not materialize. I finally got to see some Orton in 88 against the Rockers in the AWA and he lived up to the hype as a offensive dynamo, but he is stooging and bumping from Backlund even taking the Slaughter bump in the corner. He is trying to score something but the superplex is blocked. Hell, Backlund sold his own piledriver more than any Orton offense because there was not much in the way of Cowboy Bob offense. Ortonbomb eats knees, even as a Backlund fan this is a bit excessive. Orton eventually has enough of this and turns tail to run, but Backlund ain’t done yet. Orton finds a strap and chokes Backlund out to win by countout! The fact that Orton won that match is hilarious. He got his ass handed to him. It was a bit silly to give Orton the win given that layout. If you are a fan of Backlund, you will find plenty to love. If not, this will be Hell on Earth. Not a great match, but more of a fun Backlund performance. ***

Rockers & DESPINA vs Buddy Rose & Doug Somers & Sherri - AWA 11/27/86 At first, I thought this was an interesting booking progression to go from the red hot bloodbath to a more lighthearted match. The middle portion of the matches gets hot, but the finish run bring back that 80s camp fun. We begin with a more comedic to start with Buddy Rose bumping and stooging. Sherri tries to help, but Michaels kicks hand off. We find out this is an INTERGENDER tag match as Despina gets arm wringer on Somers and he sells it. Somers finally gets a short jab to the face of Shawn and works him into ropes. Sherri gets shouldertackles on Shawn and Shawn looks to carry her over to his corner, but Buddy hits him. They bust Shawn open and Sherri gnaws at his head. Sherri is such a great heat-seeker. The match takes a dramatic turn. Shawn great staggering and falling through ropes. This is all-time great Shawn Michaels selling. Buddy shows Michaels off to his corner and pounds his head. Good heel work working the cut. Shawn fires up with a wicked series of punches and falls towards his corner and Somers cant make it in time. Jannetty is such a great comeback, but Somers gets his foot on the ropes. Janetty gets over zealous and goes flying over turnbuckles onto floor in a HOLY SHIT bump. Buddy knocks Shawn off apron. Rockers look in rough shape and looks like the end is near for them. Buddy works over Jannetty’s leg and catapult into Somers’ elbow. Jannetty tries to get away from Sherri, but Sherri makes tag. Sherri misses splash. Despina kicks some Sherri ass. Sherri takes two HUGE, awesome bumps. Obligatory spanking spot. Triple collision spot! Press slam of Despina on top of Sherri for the 1-2-3. This match was a perfect balance of drama and camp, which is a specialty of the 80s that has been hard to recapture in the modern era. I just love that. ****

AWA World Tag Team Champions Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs Midnight Rockers - AWA TV 8/30/86 I really don't know how much I can say about the famous Bloodbath match that has not already been said, but I will try my best to explain why this may be the greatest American tag team match ever. Shawn Michaels quick pinfall attempts. Superkick. Rose slams his head into the post and Michaels outside and taps a gusher. Awesome, awesome staggered selling and wild punches. Somers is nasty as fuck gnaw at cut spitting blood. Every hope spot is met with a jab to the cut. Jannetty tries to help, but no avail. The drama is ridiculous for Michaels to get to Jannetty. Jannetty gets in and nails everything that moves. He sends Somers into post twice to bust him open. Sherri distracts and Buddy buries the knee in the back. Buddy busts Marty open with pistons rights. It is a bloodbath. Buddy gnaws. Somers is fucked up. War of attrition. Michaels hanging from ropes on the arpon and just great selling. Somers with a seated dropklick finally gets Jannetty down, but kick out at 2. Jannetty taeks a swing at Buddy. Jannetty tumbles after missing to hit Somers. Somers great selling. Jannetty weird spurts spastic spurts of energy. Jannetty bits Rose. Shawn in and he is incensed from his own blood and Buddy is such a great chickenshit. Shawn fires off and full court press. It is a fracas. The ref is knocked down. Somers and Jannetty knock head.s Rose drops Jannetty onto a chair. OW!!! Two refs throw it out. Rose and Somers look to beat Michaels down, but AWA faces save. Michaels jumps Buddy on the outside in the classic moment. If you have not watched this, you must. Pitch perfect selling from the Rockers especially Michaels and great heel work from Rose & Somers working the cut. The epitome of drama! *****

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Greg Valentine - MSG 3/26/79 This is the rematch to their classic one hour draw. I have never seen this particular Backlund/Valentine encounter and of all the MSG matches I think this is the least. I really like the draw, 81 series and their 84 match is unhearalded I would say all those matches are at least ****1/2. This match plays on the draw by having no countout there must be a winner so part of the psychology is too tease that they are going to go long and this causes a looooooooooooooooong front facelock sequence where a fan audibly yells “Cmon somebody do something.” I love you, Bob and Greg, but I gotta agree. The early Backlund shine before this facelock was solid highlighted by a wicked Backlund forearm. I love Backlund/Valentine exchanges they are just so nasty. Backlund starts to break up the front facelock with some nice hope spots and Valentine responds by trying the figure-4 and the crowd ooohs and aaaahs. No not the front facelock, but he moves into the deathlock and slaps the back of Backlund’s head now that is just insulting. Backlund is ripshit and powers out, carries him over to a corner and slaps the shit outta him. I love Backlund/Valentine! The next sequence will blow your mind. Valentine applies a half-crab, but Backlund grabs the toe and he transitions this into a cradle that is just outstanding. Now Backlund tries to go for the half-crab, but Valentine still has a leg. So Backlund maneuvers into a monkey flip, WOW! Backlund Figure-4!!!! MSG ROARING! Incredible sustained heat! Valentine makes ropes and Backlund is rocking back and won’t release. Valentine reverses and Backlund is writhing and hollering. Valentine works on the legs and Backlund responds with a crazy headbutt. TIMMMMMBBBBAAAAAHHHHH!!! Valentine big elbow to top of the head and covers. Backlund slaps his back at two and The Hammer thinks he has won. Backlund atomic drop wins the match for the Champ. I really liked the home stretch with some hot sequences around leg work that really showcased how good both were. God that front facelock and horrible finish just really kills the match for me. For as strong as Backlund looks some of these finishes are just horrible for him. It was Valentine’s last match with Backlund in the Garden until 81 why not put Backlund over clean. Still some really great shit! ***3/4

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Giant Baba vs Jack Brisco - AJPW 12/5/74 2 out of 3 Falls. Baba had won the NWA World Championship from Brisco three days prior so I presumed this would be switch back to Brisco, but I was wrong which made for a very surprising finish. It always fun when these historic matches finish the opposite from what you expect. Now I have robbed that from anyone who reads this review. Well hopefully, you just skip to the bottom see the ****1/2 and skipped the whole review so you can be just as surprised. Jackie B tries a different tact in this match working the side headlock rather than leg takedowns, which I think is a horrible approach against GIANT Baba. Baba is just too long and will use his leverage advantage to break via top wristlock. This happens on two occasions. Brisco tries to cheat, but to no avail and digs himself into an early hole with Baba working the arm. Brisco tries to create movement, but Baba stymies him with shoulder tackles and arm drags. Baba has a great armbar takedown into a really neat submission. Brisco picks the leg and looks to go to work. There is a really cool moment when Birsco is riding high in a deathlock and Baba looks to pull back in a chinlock and Brisco bridges out. Nothing comes of the Brisco leg work. Airplane spin by Baba! Baba looks to win with the same string of moves from the previous match hitting a Russian Legsweep for two and then looks to follow up with the falling clothesline, but Brisco has seen this movie before and NAILS him with a beautiful dropkick. This sets up the belly to back suplex to send Brisco up 1-0. Brisco starts hot with elbows to the back of Baba's head, but this is not sustained. Brisco misses a kneedrop and this is the demise of Jack. We get to see more selling from Brisco than in the previous match and this seems to be an area where he excels. It is too bad more babyface stuff does not exist. Baba is relentless on the knee ultimately setting up the Boston Crab into the backbreaker. Brisco is really good working underneath and selling. Baba is an effective monster. It is too bad they fought exclusively in Japan.Russian Legsweep only gets two! Swinging neckbreaker ties it at one a piece With it all knotted up and Brisco in a bad way, Baba looks to press his advantage at the start of the 3rd fall, but Brisco tries to use the outside to break his rhythm. I am loving this urgency It turns into a slugfest, which I don't love between these two. Brisco's big weakness is his working punch/forearm, which looks to miss by a mile everytime. Baba's overhead chops are fine given his size, but they are not the best either. Both wrestlers start going to the well to finish their opponent off but their opponent is able to block (Brisco dropkick and Baba's swinging neckbreaker). Baba is really pouring it on and I don't see how Brisco can win this. Baba pushes off ropes on a Brisco back suplex (winning first fall combination) to land on top and win. The finish was a little botch. Again another great 70s style match, but still missing that extra gear that really gets my blood pumping. I liked this one for Brisco getting to sell more and I loved the move psychology. Brisco countering the falling clothesline with a dropkick to win the first fall was cool as all get out. The Brisco missed kneedrop was a great transition in fall #2. The third fall was a perfect culmination of everything before it. Excellent match, I would say about the same as their first match, but I give this one the nod. ****1/2

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Jack Brisco vs Giant Baba - AJPW 12/2/74 2 out of 3 Falls Giant Baba is just one freaky looking dude. i had to get it out there. Those shoulderblades are something else. Great sporting contest from these two wrestlers for the World Heavyweight Championship. It was a breath of fresh air to watch two men work so hard at surfboard taking the time to widen their base or drop to a knee to really sell the hold. I loved the opening matwork. Brisco looked world class taking the Giant down at will. He had a game plan go after the legs and he was tenacious with his drop toe holds and leg pick ups. The only thing keeping Baba in it was his natural size. When he got a hold of Brisco in that surfboard, he demonstrated how damn athletic he is being able to put a foot between Brisco's shoulderblades in a standing surfboard. I loved Brisco's reaction to the surfboard to start letting the fists fly. He was feeling vulnerable so the wrestling went out the window. Baba responded with GIANT CHOPS! Dropkick and Russian Legsweep score one for the hometown hero. Baba starts off hot, but Brisco backs him into the ropes and refuses to give him a clean break. Brisco is just wrenching a nasty chinlock. I love all the tests of strength in this match. They trade suplexes and Briscos follows his up with a figure-4 to even the match. I surprised they did not go with the quick submission, but Baba writhed in pain for a while before the ref called it. The last fall was very dramatic. It was definitely the best selling of the match with Baba playing up the knee injury and Brisco tenaciously working the leg. Baba responds with GIANT CHOPS to avoid the figure-4 and Brisco does a great job selling these. The Russian Legsweep that won the first fall is used a false finish with Brisco making the bottom rope. That was a expertly laid out spot. Baba hits a clothesline similar to Kobashi falling clothesline to win the match and the World Heavyweight Title. That makes that Kobashi move all the cooler knowing it is a tribute to Baba. I really enjoyed this match as a struggle between two opponents for the world title in a classic game of human chess. Yes, Brisco was a bit of a dick here and there, but overall, it was a relatively clean fight. It is funny, I think if all wrestling was like this, I probably would not be a fan. It is too similar to real sports in the sense that it is two talented performers executing at a high level, but it just lacked that narrative to really sink my teeth into until the closing stretch. That is a minor quibble because what they presented was awesome. If Brisco moving from the mat to strikes back to the figure-4 all the while selling Baba's chops like death. Baba worked hard in this match and was great at providing the highspots. It did not click with me on that next level, but still something I would have as a MOTYC in any year. ****1/2

No End of the Year '81 special? If not, what was everyone's match of the year? The Alley Fight? Backlund/Valentine? Backlund/Slaughter Cage?

Roman Reigns is not white. They have cooled him off, but I expect them to ramp him back up in the fall and winter. They have played it smart with him. Keeping him out of the limelight, letting him improve and I know people are taking notice here and I think elsewhere. He needs to up his promo game. Be a badass. No sarcasm. Just straight forward ass kicking. Say what you will do and then do it.

Best RAW Of The Year! Hands Down. Not even close. I meant to post this a while ago. I hated Battleground for them to come back with this was stupefying. I was really thinking of giving up on them and this RAW just blew me away. Strong Taker Promo, Awesome Heyman promo (I thought he has been overrated, but this summer has been his best shit ever!) and then that brawl was just awesome chaos and raucous mayhem! Loved it! Then get this, Show/Miz perfect squash like a great squash. An actually entertaining Matadores match THANKS PTP! Brie Bella vs Charlotte in a good match. But it gets better, Reigns vs Harper in an absolute barnburner. WHO GIVES A FUCK WHO IS IN THE PULL APART BRAWL!!! ROMAN REIGNS IS MAKING A ONE ARM COMEBACK! Charles, you are awesome, but guys, seriously, great fight over here can we talk about the wrestling!!! Serious RAW Free Match of the Year Contender until the Ruiner of Matches fucks it up. Still awesome, awesome Reigns/Harper slugfest with great selling by Reigns. Rollins/Cena OH HELL YEAH!!! Rollins was great in this setting. I wish he had a neck brace on while bragging about his accomplishments. Great shit! Women's tag match was what's up! Between this and Reigns/Harper, I can't remember the last time there was this much great wrestling on RAW. Awesome, old school WWF formula tag match and I know tag wrestling (Tag Teams Back Again on PTBN WHOOMP THERE IT IS!) The main event was just awesome popcorn fun. It was straight out of the 80s/early 90s playbook with the babyfaces just having fun and popping the crowd. The FU into the Swing into the RKO was the greatest thing ever. My Dad and I were losing our shit in our living room. Damn for one week wrestling was fun again. Check out this episode of Raw!!!

When I first saw Loss tweet about this, my knee jerk reaction was poppycock. Ambrose (save for Rusev) is the only wrestler that incorporates limb psychology (where he is the one who is selling) into his matches. Plus, there is even sometime week-to-week selling of an injury see January 2015, knee injury from Bray Wyatt Ambulance match. This is pretty mind-blowing for 2015. Then I said I would watch the Dean Ambrose/Big Show match in question. Wow! Could Dave and Bryan be more off base. Ambrose was fucking awesome in that match selling for Big Show. He tempered every hope spot with fighting through the pain, but that was mostly an absolute shit kicking. He was falling down on the outside, but kept bringing himself to his feet. This was total Die Hard. It is actually really stupid and juts plain wrong to pick this match to point to Ambrose's selling issues. At the end of the day, Ambrose has selling issues just like the rest of the roster because what the match layout dictates and what the crowd expects. When Loss points out the Rollins match from last summer or someone else points out the Harper match those are great examples of Dean Ambrose of failing at selling. The Big Show match, God No! He gets an A+ from me!

NWA US Champion Wahoo McDaniel vs Magnum TA - Worldwide 3/23/85 Steel Cage Match Watching Mags in Mid-South, it was clear just how good of a babyface he was in terms of selling and just connecting with a crowd. Even with his technical execution being subpar, I thought his charisma overwhelmed any flaws. Once he was put in brawls with DiBiase, he could really shine. Here against Wahoo, his offense has come a long way. He is by no means the best, but it is no longer glaringly bad. Couple this with the babyface charisma and selling, he was a potent force. He has just debuted recently and was given a string of very quick wins with the belly to belly suplex, which has been established as a devastating finisher. Have not seen much of Wahoo in action, here he brought chops and lots of them. He was a good mountain for Magnum to climb. In 1985, the story was about Mags. Wahoo tried to cheat early, but Magnum overcame that and then Wahoo tried to turn it into a slugfest and Mags fought right back. In fact, he was kicking so much ass, he hurt himself on a headbutt and Wahoo was able to pull him into the cage. Wahoo worked an adequate heat segment, but Magnum's selling and how he conveyed the earnestness of his comeback was what carried the day. I loved the finish with Wahoo in control working shoulder tackles only to be caught out of the blue with the vaunted Belly To Belly! New US Champion! A perfect way to build a hot new babyface and a superb finish. Not a great match, but definitely one worth checking out. ***

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Jimmy Snuka - MSG 6/28/82 Steel Cage Match Everytime, Snuka even touches a turnbuckle, MSG goes bonkers. Snuka, like a great stripper knows how to stoke those flames, first it is a middle rope knee drop and then a chop. Each tease gets more and more of a reaction. Before we discuss the climax, lets talk Superfly's style. It has been a long time since I watched this match and Snuka wrestled in a really engaging style. He was a stalking heel almost in the vein of a horror movie monster similar to early Undertaker. He is the exact opposite of Adonis with almost no bumping until the one super duper bump. At his best Backlund could only get him to one knee early. Backlund is able to throw him into the cage to bust him open. Backlund is kicking ass, but to not to the same effect he is used to as Snuka is just a monster that keeps coming. Snuka builds and builds and finally he ascends to his perch, but goes one rung higher all the way to the top of the cage. He leaps off and crashes and burns in the world's most painful belly flop. Backlund wins off the mistake. The match is totally must see because of that one spot. It still looks crazy awesome in 2015 and in 1982 that must have been face-melting, brain-frying shit. ***

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Adrian Adonis - Landover 3/28/82 Lumberjack Match If the first match Adonis complimented Backlund well, in this match Adonis took it over and just went balls to wall in this action-packed sprint. This was totally in Adonis' bump 'n' run wheelhouse. They did a great job establishing the stipulation early with Adonis finding himself in all sorts of precarious positions with the babyface lumberjacks much to the crowd's enjoyments. Adonis gets his bearings and rakes Backlund's eyes and sends him to the heel side. They just run a ton of high end offense. Adonis is busting out missile dropkicks! BACKLUND PILEDRIVER~! i love Backlund kicking Adonis in the head from his belly when both on the mat. That is the scrappiness all wrestlers should have! Awesome back drop of Adonis into the lumberjacks and Adonis is fighting for his life. Back in the ring, these two are just throwing the kitchen sink at each other. It feels two wrestlers who want to win at all costs rather than just an exhibition of moves as counters are based off mistakes by the opponent. Adonis takes three tremendous bumps rapid fire that need to be seen. He is reeling, but Bob telegraphs a back body drop and GOOD NIGHT IRENE! Backlund counters with a bridging victory roll to retain the World Wrestling Federation Championship. If you love action, you will love this match. They cut a frantic pace. Adonis is at his "bump n run" best. Backlund has plenty of firepower to keep up. Two wrestlers doing all they can to win a match with Adonis applying his best shot, but Backlund proving he is just that much better. ****1/4

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Adrian Adonis - MSG 1/18/82 In the stodgy, lumbering early 80s World Wreslting Federation, Bob Backlund brings a dynamism more akin to Mid-Atlantic. I don't want to say that is overlooked by his proponents, but I don't think his critics give him enough credit for working the cutting edge style of movement in an area where everyone was accustomed to a slower pace. Yes, Backlund works holds, but he is always working the headlock or arm and peppering in spots in between. Adonis is a perfect opponent for Backlund in this regard because he excels at bumping and moving. Even though the majority of the match revolves around a long heel in peril sequence, it never drags too much because Backlund is always working the arm and Adonis working ways to get out, but ends up thwarted in a most entertaining fashion. The story was Backlund using Adonis' desperation against him by countering at every turn from the get go. This is a Backlund staple: you go running at him with a fist and he will single leg pick up you to make you foolish. So a similar effect he was always reapplying his wristlock. Adonis rolls up on the armstretcher-rowing spot. In doing so, Adonis does manage to bloody Backlund with by rubbing his palm in Bob's face, which I was surprised caused that to happen. The hardway blood definitely helps as it feels as though the playing field is level. Adonis even busts out a proto-Sling Blade. With his newfound advantage, Adonis starts throwing bombs to win the match (neckbreaker, slams, suplexes) and Backlund is getting crazy awesome kickouts. Adonis hits a piledriver, but it is only a decent one. Backlund knocks him off the top and Adonis crotches himself in most epic fashion. Backlund gets a receipt for the the stomp to the groin with his own stomp to the groin. Backlund then shows him how you muthafuckin piledrive someone. I like how Backlund threw back these moves in Adonis' face It is a shame he used that as a transition move. Good Night Irene! Backlund dives to the outside to break the hold, but shakes himself up in the process. Adonis rams Backlund's head into the turnbuckle and taps a gusher. They tease the countout, but Backlund makes it back in. I bit on the countout finish hard. A great, great boxing match breaks out; the ref loses control and awards the match to Adonis on cuts to set up the rematch, which was on an untelevised MSG card. BBBBBOOOOOOOOOOO!!! For Backlund critics, I am sure the talking point was that he dominated the match with the wristlock forever, but I thought they worked it an entertaining fashion. The home stretch was strong and the finish fantastic. This match is a great war of attrition. Adonis throws everything he has at Backlund, but Backlund is resilient. Look at that massive kickout by Backlund after the groin shot. They both are exhausted and battered. Then Good Night Irene, the countout finish tease and the bloody boxing match at the end. Definitely one of the best Backlund title defenses. ****1/2

Parv, if you want to talk peak Greg Valentine sexiness, did he ever look better than with a World's Heavyweight Championship Belt around his waist. Bob Backlund vs Greg Valentine - MSG 11/23/81 WWF Heavyweight Championship, No Holds Barred This is the rematch from last month's disputed finish show where The Hammer walked out the Champion, but did not win the match. Thus the championship is held up and there must be a winner! Backlund is red-hot to start and beats Valentine's ass from pillar to post. The Hammer was great here at selling, begging off and bumping for Backlund making him look like Superman. Valentine goes for broke rushing into the corner with double knees and jams them in the turnbuckles. Backlund gives a taste of his Hammer's medicine to the Hammer working over the leg. I will say the one thing that did bring it down for me was Backlund's kicks to the leg were not the best. I recognize this is not Shoot-Style Japan, but Backlund has those killer headbutts, punches and forearms it makes his kicks look extra weak. Valentine is selling this for all its worth and when Backlund does use his fist to work the leg or an actual hold it is better for it. Valentine tries to dig himself out of this hole with desperation lunges, but it seems too deep at first with Backlund headbutting and punching his way back into control. On a figure-4 attempt, Valentine is able to punch Bob in the head and pounce on his leg. Valentine takes Backlund to school. No disrespect to the champ, but this is how you do it. Backlund fights him off and throws some wicked European Uppercuts to Valentine's leg from ground. Holy shit, both their legs are just shot and I am loving the double leg psychology. Valentine just grabs Backlunds ankle and scoots out and wraps his knee around the post. There is no avoiding it this time, Backlund is taken into the Figure-4 twice and his mettle is tested, but GOSHDARNIT HE IS BOB BACKLUND AND HE NEVER GIVES UP. With every fiber of his being and muscles bulging, Bob turns Valentine into the ropes. Both men are just exhausted. Valentine is the first one to try a suplex for a victory, but he can't capitalize. Backlund hits a magnificient, textbook German with a beautiful bridge to win the match! MSG explodes and Backlund leads him in a proto-Yes chant. I agree with the Titans this feels like the climax of Bob Backlund's reign. I thought this was exactly on par with the original 1981 match. I thought the original one just felt a bit grittier. Valentine was more frustrated and Backlund scrappier, but this one had sweet feel-good finish. It is a total toss-up; both are all-time classics. ****1/2

Parv, if you want to talk peak Greg Valentine sexiness, did he ever look better than with a World's Heavyweight Championship Belt around his waist. Bob Backlund vs Greg Valentine - MSG 11/23/81 WWF Heavyweight Championship, No Holds Barred This is the rematch from last month's disputed finish show where The Hammer walked out the Champion, but did not win the match. Thus the championship is held up and there must be a winner! Backlund is red-hot to start and beats Valentine's ass from pillar to post. The Hammer was great here at selling, begging off and bumping for Backlund making him look like Superman. Valentine goes for broke rushing into the corner with double knees and jams them in the turnbuckles. Backlund gives a taste of his Hammer's medicine to the Hammer working over the leg. I will say the one thing that did bring it down for me was Backlund's kicks to the leg were not the best. I recognize this is not Shoot-Style Japan, but Backlund has those killer headbutts, punches and forearms it makes his kicks look extra weak. Valentine is selling this for all its worth and when Backlund does use his fist to work the leg or an actual hold it is better for it. Valentine tries to dig himself out of this hole with desperation lunges, but it seems too deep at first with Backlund headbutting and punching his way back into control. On a figure-4 attempt, Valentine is able to punch Bob in the head and pounce on his leg. Valentine takes Backlund to school. No disrespect to the champ, but this is how you do it. Backlund fights him off and throws some wicked European Uppercuts to Valentine's leg from ground. Holy shit, both their legs are just shot and I am loving the double leg psychology. Valentine just grabs Backlunds ankle and scoots out and wraps his knee around the post. There is no avoiding it this time, Backlund is taken into the Figure-4 twice and his mettle is tested, but GOSHDARNIT HE IS BOB BACKLUND AND HE NEVER GIVES UP. With every fiber of his being and muscles bulging, Bob turns Valentine into the ropes. Both men are just exhausted. Valentine is the first one to try a suplex for a victory, but he can't capitalize. Backlund hits a magnificient, textbook German with a beautiful bridge to win the match! MSG explodes and Backlund leads him in a proto-Yes chant. I agree with the Titans this feels like the climax of Bob Backlund's reign. I thought this was exactly on par with the original 1981 match. I thought the original one just felt a bit grittier. Valentine was more frustrated and Backlund scrappier, but this one had sweet feel-good finish. It is a total toss-up; both are all-time classics. ****1/2

Booooooo! Hisssssss! #KeepTitansInBacklundEraWWF

Thanks, Magpie & Savage! Appreciate it. Like Kelly, Hogan/Koko vs Kamala/Honky definitely leapt off the page. Magpie, if you havent already, definitely indulge in Strike Force vs Islanders, by far my favorite WWF 80s tag feud. Savage, what do you think would happen if Sleeze logic met Johnny logic? None of this would be possible without Chief Jay Historian and 4x time Brainbuster champion, Kelly, your host and mine, and one helluva man!